Birthday Challenge
by memyselfandwe
Summary: AU-Human Rose's friends take her out for her birthday and challenge her to a dare.


A roar of laughter filled the pub on an unusually quiet Saturday evening as another round of drinks got passed around. It was Rose's 22nd birthday and her friends had to practically drag her out, away from her studies.

"You three are a bad influence on me," Rose giggled, taking a sip from her fruity blue drink.

Her friend Shareen tsked, "please…I'm sure a night out and a couple of drinks won't smear your golden record."

"Golden record," Rose asked offended, "what do you mean by that?"

Amy wrapped a comforting arm around Rose's shoulder, "it's not a bad thing, some would call it…admirable."

"Others would call it boring," Martha added, then glanced away as she took a sip.

Rose's jaw dropped as she gazed around the table, "are you three calling me boring?"

"No," they said in unison.

Shareen patted Rose's back gently, "you are loads of fun, Rose, that's why we love you. It's just, you aren't a big risk taker."

"Excuse me," Rose asked affronted, "I've taken plenty of risks. Remember that time I snuck out to go to Jimmy's party."

"Then you snuck back in before midnight," Shareen added, "and if you bring up his name again, the next drink is going down your blouse."

Rose leaned back in her chair, seemingly defeated, "well, what do you consider risky?"

"I don't know," Martha said, "something unexpected."

"And on a whim," Amy added, "not something you spend too much time overthinking."

"Like a dare," Shareen said enthusiastically.

Amy and Martha grew excited as well and Rose watched them as they all put their heads together, plotting something.

"Wait," Rose yelled over their chatter, "you aren't planning on having me do anything illegal are you…or immoral?"

"Of course not," Amy said innocently, but Rose wasn't buying it.

"Fine, I'll do your dare…" Rose huffed, "just keep it here in the pub, that's all I ask."

They came to an agreement and turned back to Rose, "since it's your birthday, we'll go easy on you," Shareen announced.

Rose stared at their smiling faces, "well...get on with it."

"You have to go up to a stranger and finish their drink," Martha smiled deviously while Shareen and Amy giggled in the background.

Rose stared around the nearly empty pub, looking for someone with a nearly empty drink.

"A person of our choosing," Amy added and pointed to the corner, "like Mr. tall, dark, and brooding over there."

Rose had to lean so she could see him, she didn't even know anyone was over there, but she finally got a glimpse of her target. He looked to be around ten years older with large ears, short hair, and a leather jacket. He honestly didn't look too bad in her opinion, if she had been sitting anywhere else, she probably would have caught herself staring at him throughout the evening.

He was alone, staring into his drink, seemingly deep in thought.

"No," Rose said immediately, "he obviously doesn't want to be bothered."

"Too bad," Shareen nudged her, "you said you're a big risk taker, now prove it."

Rose growled at her friends and finally got up. Slowly, she made her way over to him, trying to come up with a plan that wouldn't end in utter embarrassment.

He sat there, oblivious to everyone and looking very anti-social and she stopped in her tracks as he grunted in frustration then took a drink from his nearly full beer. She glanced back at her smiling friends who all pointed for her to keep going.

Rose took a deep breath and continued approaching. As she drew closer he finally looked up and stared at Rose curiously. She didn't let that stop her, she told herself to just get it over with and run.

"Can I help you," he asked, seemingly annoyed yet bewildered.

"Uh…" Rose squeaked, nervously, "no…well…yes."

He furrowed his brow, if he was bewildered before, he had to be dumbfounded by now. He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, "yes or no, what is it, because I can't just have you staring at me like that all night."

Rose tried to calm her nerves but it was useless, if anything, she needed a drink, and now. Again, she told herself to just do it and do it now. "I'm sorry," she finally said, "I swear I'm not crazy but…" She trailed off as she grabbed his beer off the table and immediately started gulping it down in large mouthfuls.

Once empty she put the glass down and wiped her chin, looking at the shocked expression on her victim's face.

She shuddered when the aftertaste hit her, "I actually hate the taste of beer."

"You could've fooled me," he finally piped up, "if you wanted a drink, you could've just asked. At least then you'd have gotten something you liked."

Rose smiled at him, relieved that he didn't start screaming at her, he just seemed taken aback. "Sorry," she told him, "it's my birthday and…"

He cut her off, "well, happy birthday. Would you like me to get you something better to drink," he lifted his glass, "seems I need another anyway." He smirked teasingly and Rose felt her nerves finally calm, glad that she took on this dare.

"I…uh…well, I'm with my friends," Rose pointed behind her and the man leaned over to see the three girls watching them from a table across the bar, waving at him and giggling.

He waved back then glanced up at Rose, "so they put you up to this?"

"Yeah," Rose laughed, "they said I never take any risks and dared me to do this."

"Well," he grinned, "I'm honored to be your first."

Rose's jaw dropped, speechless and all she could do was giggle. She swayed a bit and realized that drinking that beer so fast may not have been the best idea. She glanced back at her audience as they were now eating chips, watching her and this stranger as if they were watching a movie.

She turned back to the stranger and noticed a change in his eyes, instead of looking vacant and lonely, they now looked full of interest and desire.

"I think…" Rose tried stepping away without falling over, "maybe I should get back to them before they start taking photos or something."

"Ok," he told her, obviously looking disappointed. As she turned away, he called to her, "wait." When she looked back, he asked, "what's your name?"

"Rose," she smiled.

"Nice to meet you Rose," he replied and all she could do was giggle again.

Stumbling, she made her way back to her friends and it felt like the longest walk. Not just because she just drank an entire beer in a matter of seconds, but her friends were all watching her with amusement as she did. Then there was the part of her that wanted to go back, sit with the stranger, and talk with him some more. She didn't even ask his name, why didn't she ask his name?

She sat in her stool as the three grinned like lunatics and stared at her excitedly.

"So," Amy finally peeped.

Rose felt her cheeks glowing, "so, what?"

Martha leaned closer, "we sent you to steal someone's drink and it seems you might have stolen more than that."

"What," Rose asked, trying to play it casual.

Shareen laughed, "don't act all innocent, we just watched you two chatting for the last five minutes, and don't even get me started on the way he was staring at your ass as you walked back over."

"Oh my god," Rose blushed then broke into a fit of giggles.

"It seems you got his attention now," Amy pointed out and when Rose glanced up, the man had moved from his corner table and was now sitting at the bar, where he could see her. The bartender handed him another beer and he took a drink, staring at Rose with intent.

Rose tried looking away, talked with her friends, sipped her own drink. She tried acting normal but she could feel him staring at her and she felt awkward.

"He's really cute, actually," Shareen said as she glanced his way, "makes me wish I had taken that dare."

Rose slapped her arm, "will you stop!"

"Ooh," Martha sang, "don't make Rose jealous."

"I think we need to give her another dare," Amy declared.

"No," Rose said forcefully.

Amy ignored her and smiled deviously, "…kiss a stranger."

"NO," Rose snapped, "besides, he's not really a stranger anymore."

"What's his name," Martha asked and she got her answer when Rose fell silent. "That's what I thought."

"If you don't, I will," Shareen told her and pulled out a small mirror to check her lipstick.

"No," Rose yanked the mirror from her hand, "I'll do it, ok, then we are leaving before you make me strip or something." She stood up from her stool and headed back toward the stranger who was watching her approach with interest.

Once she was beside him, he teasingly pushed his beer far out of her reach. He ignored the laugher from the table she had come from and smiled at her, "can I help you Rose?"

"Well…" she looked down and wrung her hands. There was one thing she needed to get out of the way first, "I never got your name."

"John," he stated, "John Smith."

Rose dropped her hands to her sides in aggravation, "John Smith?" Her tone turned defensive, "if you don't want to tell me your real name, just say it. Don't give me an alias."

He chuckled, "not a liar, me." He reached for his wallet and opened it up, showing her that his name was, in fact, John Smith, "see."

Rose furrowed her brow and repeated, "John Smith…?"

He stuffed the wallet back in his pocket, "actually, it's Dr. John Smith."

"You're a doctor," she asked in disbelief.

"Problem," he asked, wondering why she found it so surprising.

"No," she shook her head, "I just didn't know doctors…"

"…went to pubs," he finished for her.

"Yeah," Rose leaned against the bar, "aren't doctors supposed to tell us how drinking is bad for us or something along those lines?"

"Yes and no," John said, "a beer or two every now and then isn't so bad…unless you're chugging it," he winked.

Rose smiled at his comment, "so…do you come here often?" As the words tumbled out, her hand came up and smacked over her face, mortified.

John laughed, "isn't that supposed to be my line?"

"I'm sorry," Rose laughed at herself, "that was awful."

"Don't be," he took a drink from his beer, still smiling at her, "but, no, this is my first time in here. I must say, I'm glad I came."

Rose smiled bashfully, "yeah?"

"Yeah," he repeated.

Rose looked to her friends who were all watching her and John like love sick teenagers then back to John. "I think they're waiting for me," she stepped away and motioned toward her friends with her head.

John nodded and smiled, "can't keep them waiting…"

"No," Rose giggled, then looked at her friends who were now pointing, waving their arms, and looking flustered. "Shit, that's right!"

"What," John asked, looking curiously at her friends then back to Rose, "is something wrong?"

"No," Rose said then hurried over to John, grabbed the lapels of his leather jacket, pulled him close and kissed him.

Needless to say, he was caught off guard, but it only took him a millisecond to jump into action. He wrapped and arm around her waist while his other hand dove into her hair, and her kissed her back passionately.

Rose was never told what kind of kiss she was supposed to give, they just said to kiss a stranger. Her initial intent was to just go up, give him a quick kiss, and hurry away. Instead she was now snogging him intensely and he was giving as good as he got. Instinctively, her arms came up, around his neck as she melted into the kiss.

Hooting and hollering from the table broke them apart and Rose stepped away, gasping for air, and taking in John's completely gob smacked appearance.

"Sorry," she mumbled, and hurried away, the taste of John still on her lips.

The girls cheered and Rose felt her face burning in embarrassment.

"Wow," Amy said, "when we dared you to kiss him, we didn't think you'd snog the life out of him."

"I didn't mean to," Rose said, hiding her face away, "can we go now."

"You really want to leave after a kiss like that," Shareen asked, "if I were you, I wouldn't have even come back to the table."

"I told you I would do it if we could leave right after," Rose grabbed her coat, "it's done, now I want to leave."

"Fine," Martha grumbled, seemingly disappointed, but as the four started getting ready, her tone changed, "I don't think he's ready though…"

"Huh," Rose looked at Martha who was staring over her shoulder and when Rose turned around, John was right behind her.

He looked disappointed, "you're leaving?"

Rose looked ashamed, "yeah, before this night gets out of hand."

John glanced up at her friends, then took Rose's hand, "can I have a minute?"

The girls smiled and sat back down as John led Rose away to a more private spot. It wasn't completely out of view, but at least they weren't being gawked at.

With no chairs around, Rose leaned against the wall but kept her eyes trained to the floor.

"I'm not going to keep you from leaving," John began immediately, "but, can I see you again sometime?"

Rose's eyes snapped up, "like, on a date?"

"Sort of, yeah," he said, "maybe in a better setting, I'll even get you your own drink."

Rose laughed, and stared into his deep, blue eyes, she could get lost in those eyes, "I'd like that."

"Fantastic," he breathed as he pressed his hand against the wall beside her head and leaned in, capturing her lips sweetly.

He pulled away and Rose bit her lip as she smiled at him, "I usually don't kiss on the first date."

"Hopefully, for me you'll make an exception," he handed her his number on the back of a business card.

Rose looked at it then flipped the card over, "cardiologist?"

John nodded, "matters of the heart."

Rose smiled and stepped away, "I'll call you then?"

"I hope so," he beamed, "have a great birthday."

"I already am," Rose said back, and nearly skipped her way back to her friends who were all smiling proudly at her. She turned back and waved goodbye to John as she exited the pub.


End file.
